Hydrangea plant named ‘Abetwo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘Abetwo’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; strong and sturdy stems; dark green-colored leaves; and large mophead-type inflorescences with numerous white-colored sterile flowers.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea arborescens.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Abetwo’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea, botanically known as Hydrangea arborescens and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Abetwo’.

The new Hydrangea is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Hydrangeas with strong stems and attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Hydrangea originated from an open-pollination in 2002 of the Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’, not patented, as the female, or seed parent and an unknown selection of Hydrangea arborescens. The new Hydrangea was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2004 as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Grand Haven, Mich.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood cuttings in a controlled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. since 2004 has shown that the unique features of this new Hydrangea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Abetwo’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Abetwo’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hydrangea:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Strong and sturdy stems.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Large mophead-type inflorescences with numerous white-colored         sterile flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Annabelle’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea are taller than plants of         ‘Annabelle’.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea have stronger and thicker stems         than plants of ‘Annabelle’.     -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea have larger inflorescences than         plants of ‘Annabelle’.     -   4. Plants of the new Hydrangea have longer peduncles than plants         of ‘Annabelle’.     -   5. Plants of the new Hydrangea tolerate rain better than plants         of ‘Annabelle’.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of Hydrangea arborescens ‘White Dome’, not patented. Plants of the new Hydrangea differ from plants of ‘White Dome’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea have mophead inflorescences         whereas plants of ‘White Dome’ have lacecap inflorescences.     -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea have showier inflorescences than         plants of ‘White Dome’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hydrangea.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet (FIG. 2) comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Abetwo’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph at the top of the sheet (FIG. 1) is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Abetwo’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and the following description were grown in Grand Haven, Mich. in ground beds in an outdoor nursery and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions. Plants of the new Hydrangea had been growing for three years when the photographs and description were taken during the summer. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea arborescens ‘Abetwo’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Hydrangea             arborescens, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 20 days at temperatures of             about 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three months at             temperatures of about 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/growth habit.—Perennial shrub. Upright and mounded             plant habit; broadly inverted triangle. Strong and sturdy             lateral branches; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 1.25 meters.         -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 2 meters.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about 36             lateral branches developing per plant.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 1 meter. Diameter: About             1 cm. Internode length: About 13 cm. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Strength: Strong, sturdy. Color, young: Close to             144D. Color, mature: Close to 176D. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 20 cm.         -   Width.—About 15 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Obtuse to cuneate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 147A; venation, close to 147A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B to 147C;             venation, close to 147D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 9.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single sterile and fertile flowers             arranged on terminal mophead-type panicles. Flowers face             upright or outward.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant; pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering throughout             the summer in Grand Haven, Mich.         -   Flower longevity, fertile flowers.—Flowers last about three             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower longevity, sterile flowers.—Flowers last about four             months on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; about 532 fertile             flowers and about 2084 sterile flowers per panicle.         -   Panicle height.—About 19 cm.         -   Panicle diameter.—About 28 cm.         -   Flower diameter, fertile flowers.—About 4 mm.         -   Flower depth (height), fertile flowers.—About 5 mm.         -   Flower diameter, sterile flowers.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower depth (height), sterile flowers.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower buds, fertile and sterile flowers.—Length: About             1 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to             144C.         -   Petals, fertile flowers only.—Arrangement: Five in a single             whorl. Length: About 1 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155D. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155A.         -   Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity per flower: Three to four             in a single whorl. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About             1.1 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 155D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close             to 155D.         -   Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity per flower: Five in a             single whorl. Length: Less than 0.5 mm. Width: About 0.6 mm.             Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             144D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144D.         -   Peduncles, fertile and sterile flowers.—Angle: Erect.             Strength: Strong, sturdy. Length: About 6.5 cm. Diameter:             About 4 mm. Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Close to             144D.         -   Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Angle: Erect to about 45° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Length: About 3 mm. Diameter:             Less than 0.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144D.         -   Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Angle: Erect to about 45° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Length: About 1.5 mm. Diameter:             About 1 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144D.         -   Reproductive organs, fertile flowers only.—Stamens: Quantity             per flower: About ten. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length:             About 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 155D. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155D. Pistils: Pistil             quantity per flower: About two. Pistil length: About 2 mm.             Stigma shape: Bi-lobed. Stigma color: Close to 144D. Style             length: About 1 mm. Style color: Close to 144D. Ovary color:             Close to 144D.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per inflorescence: Numerous. Size: Less than             0.1 mm by less than 0.1 mm. Color: Close to 200D. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been     observed to be resistant to pests or pathogens common to Hydrangea. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about −29° C. to about     37° C. 

1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘Abetwo’ as illustrated and described. 